March 6, 2015 by Born To Organize

Blogging 101: Thematically Speaking

It’s the end of the week here in California. Some of my classmates have already gone to bed, but it’s day five for me as week one of Blogging University draws to a close.

Today’s task: Love Your Theme

I’ve actually played around with themes quite a bit in the past since the visual elements are so appealing. It’s fun and sometimes disorienting looking at your blog arranged differently, as you are seeing it today. We’re encouraged to try the opposite of what we like.

Wu Wei

If you’re reading this blog before Monday, March 9th, then you’re seeing my blog with the Wu Wei theme. Prior to today I was using Misty Lake. I miss it.

I like the clean lines of Wu Wei, but I miss all the other bits of info in the sidebar.

What do you think? Do you like, one, two or three column blogs? Do you miss the additional info on the sidebar? All the info is still there, but it’s now at the bottom.

If you’re a blogger, are you still in love with your own theme? So many questions, I know, but I really value your feedback.

Happy Friday…or Saturday to my Aussie/Kiwi friends.

March 5, 2015 by Born To Organize

Blogging 101: Everything but the Kitchen Sink

It’s day four of Blogging University. Today’s assignment is two-fold. First we’re asked to identify our ideal audience as a way of honing our blogging skills. Second, we’re to include a new-to-you element on our blog.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink?

I like challenging myself, so I’ve learned how to embed photos, YouTube videos, a contact form and a poll. Today I’m embedding a Tweet for the first time.

https://twitter.com/BornToOrganize/status/573591726411005953

Nifty, eh?

You can learn how to embed all kinds of things on your blog via WordPress Support. I also love coaching people, so if there is something you are trying to do and can’t quite figure it out, I’m happy to help.

Gardening Nirvana

As spring approaches, nature does most of the heavy lifting. Birds nest, even without my help and perennials come back regardless of my pruning skills. A garden, untended will not necessarily die. Instead the garden crosses the boundaries of the walkways, climbs the fence, winds around a tree and meanders down the block like an untended toddler.

I’m having none of that. Just because Mother Nature is a well-worn cliché, doesn’t mean the parallels aren’t true. As a mom of two boys, I set limits early and often. Within those limits, the boys enjoyed free rein. They could explore the garden, create in their sand box and run through the sprinklers (pre-drought). My youngest son loved climbing the orange tree and played for hours in the dirt. As a toddler, my oldest son licked the shiny bottom of a snail, always exploring and curious. To my chagrin, he continuously snapped green cherry tomatoes from the vine before he understood the difference between red and green. We traveled for a week and when we returned, he was able to see the difference and why they should remain on the vine awhile longer.

Now teenagers, they’ve grown into well-mannered and respectful young men who understand limits but continue to soar.

Those same limits fall to the garden. Well-tended branches make for happier neighbors. Overgrown weeds do not inspire trust. I might fall in love with a beautiful shrub, but if the plant’s DNA will send it skyward, then it stays on the nursery shelf. I’ve stopped planting Stock, not because I don’t like it, but because the snails eat it to the quick. Reluctantly, but with a sure hand, I’m learning to garden like the Californian I’ve become instead of longing for the English-bred garden of my roots. Some days that’s still hard, but I know it’s for the best. There are days I mother my children, days I mother the garden and days I mother myself. All three are a work in progress.

The End?

If you reached the end of this post and find it resonated with you, then you’ve come to the right place. Welcome! If you’re yawning or distracted or perhaps you simply clicked the ‘like’ button in the Reader, I completely understand. It just means this particular blog isn’t for you. When you do find that perfect fit, you’ll know. As my friend Pauline says, “Thanks for coming by today. I love that you did.”

March 4, 2015 by Born To Organize

Blogging 101: I’ll Follow You Anywhere

Part I:

Tower of succulents coming back to life

Today’s Blogging University assignment focuses on the other half of blogging: engaging with your community. We’re instructed to follow five new topics in the Reader and five new blogs.

It’s been awhile since I’ve explored WordPress Reader, not from lack of interest but lack of time. I know a plethora of interesting blogs await discovery, but I must be realistic with my time. If you’re as lucky as I am, you’ll fall in love with bloggers from around the world. Thirty days from now, I’m flying cross-country to spend a week with four other women, all friends I’ve met through blogging. Extraordinary!

Which brings me to

Part II:

I’m off to find and follow five more blogs: I’ll be right back. ;-)

Please close your eyes and pretend your clock is ticking…You can open them now.

Ok, I’m back. I wanted to write part one before tackling this assignment.

Following Michelle’s lead, I added narrowly focused topics. My list:

Color
Sunflowers
Honeybees
Fashion Over 50
Postage Stamp Art

First up, Sew Katie Did. Isn’t that a clever title? I love her play on words.

Though I’ve sewn all my life, I never learned how to quilt. I admire the skill that goes into each one, as well as the color and artistry. Sew Katie Did is a feast for the eyes. She’s posted photos of several quilts, both beautiful and eclectic. I’m quite smitten with Tilted and with her Stepping Stone Quilt, but frankly, they’re all gorgeous.

Katie Pedersen says “I’ve always been artistic, but a whole world opened up to me when I discovered fabric as my medium. My workshops focus on design and finding your own process. My teaching places a heavy emphasis on the importance of color value when picking fabrics and designing a quilt. I teach modern quilting and sewing classes in Seattle and provide guild and show lectures, trunk shows and workshops.”

Searching sunflowers lead me to Patrick Mackie’s stunning photography. He photographs a number of beautiful subjects, but the sunflowers called me to his page.

Okay, so I tried to stay away from gardening, but my honeybees search lead me to this:

Lottie Land Girl Kaz Brown “records our journey on our lottie plot 21a through my photography. There’s nothing better than digging on the allotment with my husband Stew and our little dog Jassy (our buns Daisy and Alvin can’t play! They’d eat our veggies.” Her blog is filled with beautiful drawings and photos and…gardening tools. Be still my heart.

Guess what? Two of my Reader searches yielded nothing. Two, entirely untapped subjects. Fashion over 50 for women like me who fear they’ve fallen into a fashion frump and they can’t get up. The fact that no one is writing under that tag sent me further into my frumpy despair.

Postage stamp art didn’t come up either. I recently completed a project using my dad’s postage stamp collection and I wanted to see what others might be doing with stamps. I’ll tag my postage stamp table top liberally so that some future reader will find something on the subject.

So, I’ve added five tags to my reader and I’m following three new blogs. With that, I’m off to bed dreaming of beautiful quilts, sunflowers and the gentle buzzing of honeybees.

Have you followed any new blogs lately? Do you struggle to keep up?

March 2, 2015 by Born To Organize

Blogging 101: Rekindling The Passion

Ruts are never a good thing: not in the garden, not in your life and certainly not in the blogging world. If I’m bored, I shudder to think how my readers might feel. It’s time to rekindle my passion for blogging.

With that in mind, I’ve signed up for Blogging University, March 2015, also known as Blogging 101. You can read more about it here. It looks like fun and its free from the folks at WordPress.

Our first assignment is to introduce ourselves. Since I’ve been blogging for a few years, I feel like an open book…or blog. If you’re new here, or perhaps stopping by from the “Class of March, 2015”, welcome!

So…what am I doing here in the land of blogging?

I came for the writing and stayed for the friends. Who knew? I’ve always enjoyed some form of creative writing. I started a blog as a way to express myself, and hoped that others would find and read it. I kept personal journals for years, but the appeal of blogging is the chance to share your thoughts and ideas with others.

I’m passionate about gardening and organizing, and probably inherited both loves from my father, a British horticulturist and hobbyist. He died when I was young, but passed on his love of gardening and his sense of order.

By day I’m a professional organizer. It’s a great profession for someone like me who enjoys helping others while bringing order out of chaos. I get to use my design background and space planning skills as well. Most of my clients have cats, dogs or both which brings me to my next love: animals.

I live in Silicon Valley with my husband of 20 years, our two teenage sons, and three adorable felines. They’re spoiled, one and all, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

My love of gardening takes many forms. I grow potted plants indoors and on the deck. Outdoors I tend a perennial garden, with an ever-changing array of annuals, bulbs and herbs. A few years ago I fell in love with fairy gardens and added that to my repertoire as well. It’s a wonderful way to express your inner child.

On the subject of children, my now 15 year-old inspired my love of growing pumpkins. One happy accident lead to our first pumpkin crop: my little one spilled squirrel seed mix on the walkway, and our love of growing pumpkins grew from there. We’ve grown them ever since. I’m taking this year off after back-to-back squash bug infestations. Truth be told, I’ll miss them.

I’m looking for ways to keep my blog fresh and interesting and have even toyed with the idea of a new name and a whole new look. Let’s see what the month brings.

Special thanks to Michelle, Maureen, Alex, and the WordPress team for leading the way.